Dead and Buried
by kalina-blue
Summary: The aftermath of Dead and Gone. Sookie's POV.


_Disclaimer: I don't own The Southern Vampire novels, Charlaine Harris does. I don't intent to make any money with this fic, it's just for fun. _

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Warnings: Spoilers for all books.

A/N: This is my first time writing a Southern Vampires fanfic. I just wanted to see if I could capture Sookie's voice. I hope you guys enjoy. Feedback is always appreciated.

Thanks go to myownmuggle for beta reading the piece.

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**Dead and Buried**

How I got myself out of bed that day I don't know. But not supporting Amelia on the day of Tray Dawson's funeral was completely out of the question, so I did my best to ignore all my remaining injuries, the physical as well as the mental ones, and dragged my ass into the shower. The hot water did little to wash away my pain, but after I had put on some black slacks and a long-sleeved black shirt to cover up my remaining injuries and some make-up to conceal the dark circles around my eyes, I at least felt somewhat presentable.

I made a light breakfast for Amelia and me and waited for my roommate to come downstairs. I don't know what I expected, but when Amelia finally emerged I was shocked to see the state she was in. Her eyes were bloodshot and her face splotchy from all the crying. She was wearing no make-up. I had never see Amelia this devastated.

She refused to eat anything and I hadn't had any appetite to begin with, so the toast and scrambled eggs went into the trash. My grandmother would have been appalled at the waste, but I thought that maybe this once she would understand.

I insisted on driving since Amelia was in no condition to do so. It was the first time that I had left the house since Eric had brought me here after… after what happened. I felt more than a little scared, but I concentrated on Amelia, repressing all my memories of how Neave and Lochlan had abducted me from my own back porch. We did leave through the front door, however.

The funeral was awful. Seeing Amelia's pain chilled me through the bone and there was nothing I could do to make her feel better. Tray was gone and it was my fault. I knew that. Tray, Claudine, Clancy, they all were on me.

Due to my emotional turmoil and my physical injuries, I wasn't strong enough to shield myself from any of the thoughts of the people at Immaculate Conception Catholic Church. I was just glad that Amelia didn't know how many of them spent the service speculating about Tray's supposed drug dealing. A few even thought that the Were had gotten what was coming to him. I was grateful that I had forgone breakfast or I would have become sick right in front of Tray's closed casket.

The thoughts I was most afraid of were Amelia's. She had always been a strong broadcaster, and I half expected to hear her think about how this was all my fault or how she couldn't wait to move out and get away from me. But maybe I had been too self-centred. Amelia's thoughts were on Tray the whole time. She missed him, wondered how life with him would have been like had he lived, if they would have gotten married eventually… Amelia had loved Tray, still did, and that was the most terrible thought I overheard during the funeral.

I stood by Amelia's side when they lowered the casket into the ground and I stayed with her when everyone congregated at Merlotte's afterwards. Sam had offered to host since Tray's house was still being searched by the police for criminal activity and Tray's ex-wife lived too far away. I noticed my boss's pitying glances in my direction a couple of times while I was there, but I stayed next to Amelia, so Sam never got the chance to say anything. It was just as well, I couldn't stand pity. And I certainly didn't deserve it.

When Amelia was ready to leave, I drove her home. I had to help her up the steps to my front door and to her room on the second floor. She all but collapsed on the bed and I took off her shoes and made sure that she was covered with the old quilt that was thrown over the foot of her bed. I left a glass of water on the nightstand and closed the door behind me. I could read clearly that Amelia wanted to be alone and there was nothing I could do for her except respect her wishes.

I went downstairs in a daze and then outside. My car was still parked out front; I knew it would take some time until I braved the back porch again. I got behind the wheel and started to drive. I was on autopilot and didn't know I was heading for Shreveport before I passed the city limits. By the time I reached Fangtasia, it was already dark outside.

I didn't know the vampire who was working the door that night, but he seemed to know me because he waved me through immediately with a curd nod. Visiting a bar on a day my shields had completely failed me was questionable at best. Actually, it was down right stupid.

I was instantly bombarded by all the thoughts of the patrons. Sex. Violence. Anger. Sex. Nice, balanced people did not seem to frequent vampire bars. But there hadn't been any nice and balanced people at the Immaculate Conception Catholic Church either. Absently, I wondered if I just didn't know where these kind of people hung out. Maybe they were like a secret club and only other nice and balanced people knew where to find them. Clearly my membership invitation had been lost in the mail.

Or maybe nice and balanced people just didn't exist.

I tried my best to ignore all the vile thoughts around me, although I wasn't very successful. Instead, I tried focusing on the voids in the bar. The empty spaces left by the vampires in attendance. Their presence made me uneasy as well. It had only been a few days since I had last had any of Eric's blood and I never knew what I would accidentally pick up from the vampires then. This time, I didn't hear anything unusual. But maybe the vampire thoughts were drowned out by all the _Sex, Sex, Sex_ thoughts of the fangbanger. Maybe the vampires were thinking about sex, too, and I didn't recognise them in the crowd.

Eric was at the bar, talking to Felicia. Of course, he was the reason why I had come. I probably should have been worried that I had unconsciously chosen to see to him. That I desperately needed to be with him. I knew for a fact that he hadn't used his vampire mojo to call me. This one was all me. But I couldn't bring myself to care.

Felicia scurried away as soon as I got close. I couldn't blame her. I really had an unfortunate history with Fangtasia's bartenders. Come to think of it, I had an unfortunate history with a lot of people I met. Just ask Tray.

"Hello, lover. I didn't expect to see you today," Eric greeted me, ignoring the flight of his employee. I merely shrugged. I hadn't expected to see him that day either, but here I was.

He must have sensed my mood through the bond or maybe it was plainly written on my face, but Eric didn't say anything else. He took my arm and guided me towards a booth. Not his usual one in the middle of Fangtasia, but one towards the back, where the dim light afforded some semblance of privacy.

I settled into the seat, closed my eyes and let the comfort I always felt in Eric's presence wash over me. This was why I had come, what I had yearned for.

I barely noticed a waitress bringing a True Blood for Eric and a gin and tonic for me. Eric remained quite, sitting by my side close enough so that our legs were touching.

"Today was Tray's funeral," I whispered after a while, my eyes still closed.

"I know."

I felt Eric shift and then he brushed a strand of my hair behind my ears. I still didn't open my eyes. I leaned my head sideways and rested my head against his shoulder. This close to Eric it was easier to keep all the thoughts of the fangbangers at bay. It still wasn't quiet but at least they didn't scream at me anymore. I heard the noise, but could choose not to listen to what the voices in my head were saying.

"I couldn't walk out of the back door. I'm using the front entrance." I have no idea why I felt compelled to tell him this.

"You'll get past this. You're brave," Eric replied, and I couldn't detect a lie through the bond. He truly believed it.

"I'm not so sure about that."

"I am."

I fell silent again. Eric stayed by my side. I wondered why he didn't have any super-important sheriff stuff to attend to, but didn't want to ask. I was grateful for his presence. It took a while for me to realise that not only was Eric staying with me, but also none of the fangbangers had approached our table. Since the waitress had brought our drinks, nobody had bothered us. Reluctantly I opened my eyes.

I had reached Fangtasia early in the evening when the crowd had still been light, but now the bar was packed. There were a lot of glances on us, but nobody dared approach. I was surprised because usually no matter how bad Eric's mood was, some deranged fangbanger was always stupid enough to come and offer themselves to him. They must have liked getting kicked in the head. Then I glanced at Pam, who was standing near by, wearing a black corset and a tight leather skirt, one of her usual Fangtasia outfits, and a scowl. She must have been holding off the masses.

"Everyone is staring at us," I mumbled. I could feel Eric's instant amusement through the bond.

"And so they have for the past hour. This is just bothering you now?"

"I just noticed," I bit back, a bit sharper than intended. He was still amused.

"Some telepath you are."

"I'm just glad that for the first time today I don't have to listen to everyone." That shut him up. I got a rush of emotions through our bond, but didn't examine them too closely. If he pitied me, I didn't want to know.

I should have paid more attention to him, I suppose, because then I wouldn't have been surprised when he leaned forward and brushed his lips against mine. My body responded before my mind had a chance to catch up. The kiss deepened and I was clutching Eric to me without ever having decided to do so.

My heart began to race and my need for him was only fuelled by his relentless hands on my body, but his attentions also shattered the equilibrium I had gained in his presence. The thought of the fangbangers came crushing down on me. They were all thinking about Eric and me and none of it was nice.

I wasn't surprised by everyone's reaction, but the sheer volume of all the negative thoughts screaming at me took my breath away and I broke the kiss with a gasp. Eric seemed to know what was wrong immediately.

"I better take you home," he announced. We stood and I followed Eric outside under the scornful watch of every single fangbanger on the premises. I waved goodbye to Pam and she grinned. I guessed that Eric leaving with a human after having kissed said human senseless was very good for business. Gave hope to all the other bloodbags that he chose one of them the next night. I stumbled when I realised I had picked that thought right out of Pam's head. Eric caught me around my waist, but thankfully he seemed to attribute my sudden bout of clumsiness to exhaustion, at least he didn't question me any further.

Eric steered me towards the Corvette.

"I came in my own car," I protested, gesturing towards my old Malibu.

"If you force me to drive that piece of junk you call a car, I can guarantee you the first thing I will do tomorrow is buy you a new car and I won't let you refuse."

I thought it wise not to argue any further.

"I'll have Bobby drop off your car tomorrow," Eric said as he put the keys into the ignition.

"He's going to love that."

"Want me to make him wash it first?"

"That's not necessary," I replied testily, but I was fighting a smile.

I leaned back into the leather seat and closed my eyes. That had the advantage that I couldn't see how fast Eric was driving. Plus I was exhausted and all my remaining injuries were finally catching up with me. I think I might have even dozed off a bit. Either that or Eric had broken his own personal record driving to Bon Temps.

Before I knew it, Eric had parked the car and lifted me into his arms.

"We came in through the back door," he said once we reached the kitchen. I hadn't even noticed that because I was so tired. I resolved to feel indignant about his high-handedness after I had a good-night's sleep.

Eric helped me change out of my clothes and into pyjamas though for a change there was nothing sexual about the way he undressed me. As spectacular as he was in bed, I was convinced I would have fallen asleep half way through the act had I tried to have sex with him that night. I think I might have said the last part out loud because Eric's laughter suddenly filled my bedroom.

"My lover, I can guarantee you, you would not fall asleep during sex with me no matter how tired you are."

"Hrmpf. I'll have to take your word for it." I was too tired to argue much. I settled beneath the blankets and Eric joined me. With my head lying on his unmoving chest and the contentment I had come to associate with Eric and the blood bond surrounding me, I was finally able to relax.

"Eric, how is Bill doing?" I was appalled at myself that I hadn't thought to ask this earlier.

"Still recovering," Eric assured me. He was stroking my back gently and the soothing motion was lulling me towards sleep.

"I should have checked on Amelia," I mumbled.

"The witch is asleep." I guess Eric could hear her even breathing.

"We still need to—"

"Shh, lover. I promise tomorrow we can talk about Bill, the witch and the battle. I'll even let you harp more about my so called high-handedness and how I tricked you into being married. But for now you need to rest."

He really was quite patronizing, but before I had a chance to argue I was already asleep.

When I woke up late the next morning Eric was long gone. I walked into the kitchen, realising that I had barely eaten the day before. I intended to fix some breakfast, but stopped short when I took a look outside the window. My old Malibu was parked behind the house, gleaming and blinking in the sunlight. I highly doubt the car had ever been this clean. If I wasn't mistaken, it had even been waxed and polished. Bobby Burnham probably hated my guts right about now.

I mentally added _being a petty bastard_ to the list of things I needed to talk about with Eric that night and started to cook breakfast.

_End_


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